The evolution timeline begins with a hunched-over ape dragging its knuckles on the ground. It ends with a human being who stands upright and walks. Now, some fear our technological advancements might take us back a few steps in that continuum — at least in the way we stand.

Apparently, there is a condition called "text neck" (or so the Internet claims) that stems from looking down at smartphones or other handheld devices too frequently and for too long.

Text neck is characterized by sore shoulders, back pain and chronic headache — come to think of it, the last time I had a massage I told the person to concentrate on my upper back. Oh, no! Maybe I have this.

Bellevue chiropractor Greg Nystrom said he has never used the term "text neck" in diagnosis, but believes poor posture in the digital age is an issue that needs to be addressed.

He said has begun to see more and more families with adults and young children coming to Bellevue Total Health Clinic with similar complaints of neck and back aches.

There is no confirmed scientific correlation between our beloved technology and these types of injuries. But, take a look around. As children acquire cellphones earlier in life, it is safe to say we have a new generation who instead of looking up to role models, look down at a screen to see what their role models are tweeting about.

"The head weighs 10-12 pounds, and when you're slumped over looking at a screen that is that much more tension on your neck and upper back," Nystrom said. "We don't know for sure what the long term effects are, but it could lead to arthritic changes."

Changes could include cervical spine and neck pain in which the neck stiffens over time and loses its natural curvature.

Joe Kucksdorf, a physical therapist at Bellin Health in Bellevue, does not like the term "text neck."

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Shelby Le Duc(Photo: Press-Gazette Media)

He said he thinks the term is used to simply instill fear in the public — once something has a name, it becomes personal — and incorrectly puts blame on only one bad habit.

"Maintaining yourself in a forward bent position on a cellphone can cause discomfort but that's really no different from being hunched over at a desk," Kucksdorf said.

He said contrary to popular belief, there really is no such thing as "bad posture." However, there is such as a thing as insufficient movement.

"Our bodies are meant to move. When it comes to posture, the only bad position is a position stayed in too long. That's when you can start to develop pain," Kucksdorf said. "Ideally, the best position to be in is the next one."

So, really, those with text neck symptoms should not throw away their smartphones (not that anybody actually would), but rather just get up and move more.

Kucksdorf encourages those stuck in a cubicle all day to set a timer at 40-minute intervals and walk — get food or a drink, or go up and down the stairs to increase movement throughout the day.

Nystrom and Kucksdorf said neck and back pain can be reduced with simple stretches and exercises that use the full range of motion. I do not suggest rapidly moving your head back and forth at your desk as you might get a few strange looks from co-workers.

Nystrom also suggests holding a smartphone at eye level to reduce the amount of time spent looking down.

Apparently there used to be a text neck-specific app that would notify a user if their phone was at the wrong angle. The app has been deleted. Maybe it was too ironic.